HeatShare helps middle-class families, too
Earlier this month, we explained how Salvation Army HeatShare can save low-income families from having their heat shut off during Minnesota’s brutally cold winters (make a donation).
However, low-income families are not the only people who can benefit from HeatShare. Middle-class families can, too.
Just last month, for example, a working mother of two young children came to us in desperate need. Her husband had developed an infection after a routine surgery, and for the past two months he’d been in and out of the hospital, unable to work his full-time job. Doctors believed he wouldn’t be well enough to return to work for yet another month.
“The mother couldn’t work her normal full-time hours because she had to care for her husband and their kids,” said a Salvation Army caseworker named Sue. “They had just received a disconnect notice. They’d reached a point where they could pay their mortgage, but nothing else.”
Thankfully, HeatShare could help. HeatShare is an energy assistance program for Minnesotans with no place left to turn. The program helps pay overdue utility bills, along with propane or fuel oil.
Through HeatShare, Sue was able to get the family caught up on their energy bill – just days before historically frigid temperatures closed Minnesota schools and businesses.
“Until their emergency, this family had been current on all their bills,” Sue said. “Their story goes to show that no family is immune to financial hardship.”
Another important example: During the recent government shutdown, HeatShare provided nearly $35,000 worth of assistance for Twin Cities federal workers impacted by the recent government shutdown.
Support HeatShare
Winter is far from over, and the need for HeatShare assistance will grow in the weeks ahead.
Please help The Salvation Army meet this need by donating today. There are two easy ways to give:
- Donate online
- Look for the HeatShare donation section on your monthly utility bill
The Salvation Army will use your donation to keep the heat on for thousands of Minnesota families. In rare cases, funds are even used to pay for furnace repairs.
Since 1982, HeatShare has provided about $42 million worth of assistance to more than 155,000 households. Annually, about 4,200 households receive an average of $400 to keep their homes warm.
The Salvation Army Northern Division pledges to do the most good with your gifts of time and money, with 81 cents of every dollar going directly to services. Join us by volunteering or making a donation to support your local community. Stay current on how The Salvation Army is changing lives in Minnesota and North Dakota by signing up for our e-Newsletters.